There
are eight Parables
in Matthew 13,
and not seven,
as is usually held.
For
the Structure of
the whole chapter,
see page 1336 in
The Companion Bible.
The
Parables themselves,
apart from their
respective contexts,
may be thus
exhibited:—

Matthew
13:3-52

A

B

3-9.
The Sower.
The seed
sown broadcast,
in public.

To
the
multitudes"out
of the house".

C

24-30.
The Tares.
Good and bad
together.
Separated
at the end
of the age.

D

31,
32.
The Mustard Seed.
One tree.

E

33.
The Leaven.
Hid in the meal.

A

E

44.
The Treasure.
Hid in a field.

To
the
Discipleswithin
the house.

D

45,
46.
The Goodly Pearls.
One pearl.

C

47-50.
The Drag-net.
Good and bad
together.
Separated
at the end
of the age.

B

52.
The Scribe.
The treasures
shown to those
in the house
in private.

The above
Structures exhibits the
eight
Parables as a whole.
But without disturbing
these correspondences,
the
four
spoken outside
the house and the
four
spoken
"within the house"
have their own
separate Structures
(Introversions,
like the Structure
of the whole),
corresponding one
with the other:—

The first four,
outside the house.
(Apparent failure.)

A

F

The
Sower.
Three kinds
of bad ground.

G

The
Tares.
Grow till
harvest

in
the earth.

G

The
Mustard Seed.
When it is
grown

F

The
Leaven.
Three leavened
measures.

The last four,
within the house.
(Hidden purpose.)

A

H

The
Treasure in
the field.

J

The
Goodly Pearls

in
the sea.

J

The
Good and
Bad Fish

H

The
Treasure in
the house.

The
Four Parables
outside the house,
spoken to the multitudes,
seem therefore
to call for an
exoteric
interpretation;
while the four spoken
within the house
call for an
esoteric
interpretation.
In this case,
the first four would find
their interpretation in
the three proclamations
of John the Baptist,
the Lord Jesus,
and
"them that
heard Him"
(see
Appendix 95);
the Leaven and
the Tares showing
the secret cause
of the failure
which led to
the postponement
of the Kingdom,
while the
Mustard Tree
would exhibit
the external
consequences.
The
latter four would
find their
interpretation in
"the secrets
of the kingdom of
the heavens"
(Appendix 114),
showing that
notwithstanding
the apparent
(outward)
failure,
God,
all the while,
has His hidden purpose
concerning the Remnant,
His peculiar
treasure hidden:
the earthly calling,
in the field
(which is the world),
and
"the heavenly calling",
"in the house";
and the end of the age
would exhibit the one
"pearl of great price":
the Remnant,
according to the
Election of Grace,
on the one hand,
and the
"good and bad"
receiving their awards,
on the other.